Qualia is a collage of three acts - a short film screening of Qualia *Original short film, a devised performance followed by an interactive Q&A to talk about the mental health system through the lens of the global disability movement. Presented by Heidi Everett, with artist advocates Jessica Cochran and Andrew Lewis.
Qualia is a devised theatre work exploring diverse living experience perspectives of the public psychiatric system. Qualia reveals what it's like to be diverse and unwell, yet expected to fit in a 'one size fits all' box that is the public mental health system. Qualia disrupts the medical model idiom that mental illness is just an illness to recover from, and sets up the social model of mental health realities based on environmental structures and attitudes.
Qualia *Original short film features one of this country's most respected mental health advocates Maggie Toko, alongside Jessica Cochran and Xavier Gouault. This film increases perspective of the complexities of mental health recovery and cannot be forgotten once seen.
This living work invites audiences to feel their own qualia; to take ownership of their own reactions to the problems presented in the work, to see themselves as accomplices to a system and be given the empathetic keys to actual change. Qualia even confronts the science of psychiatry by asking 'Is psychiatry still relevant?’
Qualia was first presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy creative development funding and launched at Melbourne Fringe 2019, with three sold-out shows and a fourth show added. Qualia won the Melbourne Fringe 2019 Access and Inclusion award.
Meet the Panellists
Jessica Cochran is a disabled and queer performing artist. Speaks about lived experience as someone who has a disability and identifies as being part of the LGBTQIA community. Jessica debuted as a stage actress in Qualia at Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019 and has varied experience speaking on radio, TV, facilitating workshops surrounding disability awareness, comedy, film and screen.
Andrew Lewis is a stand-up comedian and has lived experience in the arts and advocacy around public psych wards and the mental health system. He performed at Raw Comedy (Melbourne) in mid-2000s and was a heat winner; Melbourne Fringe Show 2012 ‘Suburban Misbehavin’; Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2021 ‘Improvalov Cocktail’; Blueknot (abuse survivor organisation) 2021 volunteer. He joined Qualia Theatre in 2021.
Heidi Everett is a producer; artist; writer; mental health arts advocate; social impact innovator living and working in Melbourne, Australia / Wurundjeri Country. She respects the diverse experience of mental illness and recovery based on healing; creates new arts spaces that affirm survivor hood and promote living experience pride; and is dedicated to instilling real skills in the arts sector for people with lived/living experience and improving industry awareness of people's access rights. She directs Qualia Theatre and Schizy Inc.
Xavier Gouault is an experienced actor with a demonstrated history working in the entertainment industry. Skilled in acting, theatre, film production, video and television, Xavier has appeared on Australian TVs since 2010 on programs such as Neighbours, Rush and Underbelly. Xavier has also been involved in theatre plays such as Australian Playwright Alan Hopgoods' "And The Big Men Fly", and played the role of Lane in the stage play "The Importance Of Being Ernest". Xavier joined Qualia Theatre in 2019, featuring in Melbourne FRINGE's award-winning season and Qualia *Original short film.
Maggie Toko is the Deputy Commissioner for the Mental Health Complaints Commission in Victoria, having previously worked as Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council CEO. Maggie spent a number of years working in homelessness, youth, sexual assault, mental health and drug and alcohol. She has spent five years teaching at RMIT University in the Global Studies unit teaching the Diploma of Drug and Alcohol and Mental health, including teaching in the Northern Territory to Indigenous students. Maggie identifies as someone with a Lived Experience of mental health realities and has even performed mental health advocacy through stand up comedy. Maggie joined Qualia Theatre in 2020, and features in the Qualia *Original short film, voicing human rights of First Nations people in the mental health system.
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